Electric connecter



Aug. 16, 1938. J. sAcco 2,127,473

ELECTRIC CONNECTER Filed Feb. 2o. 1954 s sheets-sheet 2 IWUeWoY' l JAMES SAcco @ovngy Aug. 16, 1,938. J, SACCO C 2,127,473

' ELECTRIC CONNECTER Y Filed Feb. 20. 192544 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,4Z .I2- f6 zo I 8 12 14 /y/// ////,///////////%r/) o l l ZA n 4 Z. 26 lwvwov I ,M 9 JAMES SACCO l l l f l I l 1 l l l l l l l l l l /l/ Patented Aug. 1e, 193s PATENT; ori-'ics ELEc'rarc CONNECTER vlames Sacco, Everett, Mass. Application Februaryfzo, 1934, serial No. '112,118

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to electric connecters, and more particularly to connecters of the separable type, comprising a plug having projecting terminals adapted to be received in corresponding openingsv of a base.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel electric connecter the separable parts of which may be positively locked together by strong spring action independent of the tension of the cooperating contact members.

Another object is to provide a new and improved waterproof connecter.

A further object is to simplify the constructions of connecters of the above-described character, to the ends that their cost of manufacture may be reduced, while their efiiciency and ruggedness is increased,

Still a further object is to provide a new Yand improved, separable, electric connecter the parts' of which may be readily guided into cooperative relation, even in places difilcult of access.

Another object is to prevent accidental detachment of the parts of the connecter when the contact members thereof are either engaged or disengaged.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will now be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal section, taken upon the line I I of Fig. i, looking upward in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2 is a similar section taken 'upon the line 2 2 of Fig. il, looking downward in the direction of the` arrows; Fig. 3 is a broken perspective of an electrical connecter em.- bodying the invention; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the connecter shown in Fig. 3, Figs. 3 and i both showing alsoa threaded member 5d, useful in some applications of the invention; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section, taken upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section similar to' Figgl, but upon a larger scale and with the parts occupying different relative positions;l Fig. 7 is a broken perspective, similar to Fig. 3, of a modification; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken upon'the line 8 8 of Fig. 9, looking downward, in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 9 is avertical section, similar to Fig. 4, of the modification shown in Fig. 7;- Fig. 10 is a broken perspective of a radio tube having projecting terminals similar to those illustrated in Figs. 3, 4,-'1 and 9,\to gther with a radio-tube socket embodying the .present invention; Fig; 11 is a plan of a modifled socket; Fig. 12is a modlcation applied to electric irons; Fig. 13 is a perspective showing the under side of a plate shown in Figs. 2 -to 6; Fig. 14 is a perspective of a detail; and Figs. 15 and 16 are sections similar t6 Fig. 5, but showing the parts in different positions. The electric connecter illustrated in Figs. v1 to 6 comprises a plug 2 having projecting terminals 4 adapted to be received in openings 6 extending through a circular plate 8 of a base I0. The openings,6 areal-'cuate in shape, so as to permit the' plug 2 and the base I0 to be relatively rotated while the terminals 4 are disposed in the openings 6. The openings B are provided with ends I2 that are of greater width than the heads I4 of the terminals 4, in order to permit entry of the heads I4 therein. 'I'he arcuate openings 6 taper gradually from the larger ends I2 toward the opposite ends I6. The width of the openings' 6 at their narrow ends I6 is considerably smaller than the diameter of the heads I4 to permit the heads I4 to become locked behind the walls at the lower, or under, or inner face of the plate 6, near said smaller portions I6 o! the openings t. The said lower, or under, or inner face of the plate Il is wedge shaped, along the walls of the openings 6, as illustrated at I B, Figs. 5, 13, 15, and 16, in order that the said heads I4 may ride up on the wedges I8, and into contact with contact members 20. During such riding up on the wedges I6, a spring 22 becomes tensioned to hold the parts together very iirmly. The wedges I8 taper from the larger ends i2 to the narrow ends vIt of the arcuate openings 6, and the contact members 26 are situated at the said larger ends, on the wedges IB on the inner side of the plate t adjacent to the opening t. The contact members 2U cooperate with the terminal-head contact members I4 to establish an electric circuit. The heads I4 and the contact members 20 are so designed as to provide for a very eiective cooperative contacting engagement, the heads I4 becoming seated in recesses 2i in the contact members 20. When the contact members I4 and 2h are thus in engagement with each other, the plug 2 and the base I0 are locked in such position `of rotatable adjustment by the spring 22, which is strong, separate, and made of steel. 'Fne positive, strong, spring action thus obtained is much superior to the weak` locking of the parts together by means of 'the inherent tension in springy contact members, such as are constituted of phosphor bronze, that lose their springiness by some accidentally high current that may happen to pass through the contact members at a time when the contact between them is not very secure. i

The spring 22 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 housed by the plug 2, but it may be housed in the base I0, instead, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 at 24. It is possible also to employ springs 22 and 24 in both the plug 2 and the base III.

A rubber or other insulating member 2l yieldingly engages the inner side ot the plate 8 in order to maintain the opening I closed, and thus render the base I0 waterproof when it is disconnected from the plug 2. The terminals 4 easily move the rubber members 28 away, when they are forced into the openings 8, so that access to the contact members 20 is thus easily and readily permitted.

The plate 8 is provided with an annular channel 28 for receiving an annular guide 34. The channel 28 is bounded by an annular inner wall 30 and an annular outer wall 32, the latter of which is below the iormer, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 4. The lnner wall 30 is adapted to be engaged by the annular guide 34 that projects from the plug 2, in order to guide the movement of the guide 34 into the channel, by contact with the inner wall 30, during the movement of the plug 2 toward the base l0, downward, as viewed in Fig. 4. I'he annular guide 34 houses the terminals 4 and is longer than the terminals 4, so as to project down below the terminals 4, as viewed in Fig. 4. By reason of these relative dimensions, the guide 34 is enabled to engage the lnner annular wall 88 of the channel 28 prior to the entry oi the terminals 4 into .the openings 8, during the 4downward movement of the plug 2 towards the base I8. It is thus possible to assemble the plug 2 and the base i0 without interference by the terminals 4 engaging some part of the base i0, and thus obstructing the proper alinement of the plug 2 and the base Hi. This is a very important consideration when the base i8 happens to be located at some inaccessible spot, and when one has to rely upon guesswork, and not the eye, for the assembly of the plug 2' with the base l0. One does not have to try to put the terminals 4 into the openings 6,-one merely engages the guide'34 against the annular, inner wall 30, and then merely turns the plug until the terminals 4 ilnd their way into the openings 8.

It will be obvious that the same result may be attained by constructing the channel 28 on the plug 2 and the guide 34 on the base I8, provided that the guide 34 shall engage the inner, annular wall 30 before the terminals 4 can enter the opening 8.

The guide 34 is of such length or depth as to engage tightly against a rubber or other gasket 36 at the bottom of the channel 28 when the heads I4 contact with the contact members 20, as before described. The same spring 22 or 24 that then holds the plug 2 and the base I0 together will render the thus-assembled connecter water-tight.

The connecter is thus rendered waterproof when assembled and the base is rendered waterproof when disassembled. It is often desirable also to render the connecter vaporproof when the terminals are outV of contact with the contact members 20. For example, it may be desirable, as in factories where inilammable stores are kept, to avoid the formation of an arc outside the connecter at the moment when the contact members 20 and the heads i4 of the terminals 4 become separated. The present construction effects this result also, for the rubber 28 seals the openings 6 as soon as the heads i4 leave the contact members 20, and the arc is extinguished wholly in the closed chamber formed by the plug 2 and the base l0, and does not reach outside.

To aid in waterproofing the connecter, the plug 2 may be provided with a rubber jacket 38 at its free end, as illustrated in Fig. 4, for housing the wires 40 leading to and from the connecter. These wires 40 may connect with junctions 44 that, in turn, are connected with the terminals 4 by Wires 43.

It is frequently desirable to retain the plug 2 on the base i0 against accidental separation, even though the heads I4 and the contact members 20 are out of engagement. This may be brought about by providing, at the wedges il, intermediatepoints oi' depressions 42 into which the heads i4 may seat. The chamber formed between the plug 2 and the base I0 thus remains closed.

The circular plate 8 may be held on the cap I0 by a bolt 48 and nut 50 as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 4. One of the contact members 20 may be connected with the bolt 48 by a wire 52, as illus trated in Fig. 2. The other contact member may be connected to any desired outside, metal part, as the threaded member 54, by a wire 56 (shown in Fig. 2) or by a strip of metal oi.' high conductivity.

The terminals 4 may be held in place on an insulating member 58 by nuts 60, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The insulating member 5B may be held in the plug 2' by a bolt 62 and a nut 64. The spring 22 may surround the bolt 82. By reason of this construction, as before stated, the guide 34 will tend to be kept by the strong, coiled, steel spring 22 in form engagement with the gasket 38. Unauthorized detachment of the parts and waterproofing are eifected by the same construction.

If Waterproofing is not considered to be necessary or desirable for some uses, the construction illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 may be employed. The spring 24 surrounds a. bolt 66 so as to tend to press upward, as viewed in Figs. 7 and 9, a plate 68 having at sides 10, so as to be guided in its up-and-down movements in a corresponding shaped pocket 12 in a base '|4. The plate 88 is thus slidable on-the bolt 66 in the pocket 12, its upward movement being limited by a plate 18 that is held on the base 14 by a nut '|'8 on the bolt 66.

Terminals 80, carried by a. plug 82, enter openings 84 that extend through the plate 'I6 in order to engage against wedges 86 on the plate 68. The openings A84 arev arcuate, like the openings 6, and the terminals 80 have heads 88 that are adapted to lock behind the lower side of the plate 'i6 near the narrower portions of the openings 84. The plug 82 has a projecting guide 90 for entering a channel 92' in the plate 18. In the present case, however, the wedges 86 are themselves the contact members.

In this case, there is a tendency for the spring 24 to push upward on the plug 82, tending to separate it from the base 14 instead of, as in Figs. 1 and 4, tending to hold the plug 2 and the base IU more rmly together; but, in other respects, the advantages of employing a strong, steel, coil spring are retained, and the plug 82 and the base 14 are locked iirm'ly together, but yieldingly, by

the spring, with the contact members 88 and 38 in contact with each other and the heads 88 locked behind the walls of the portions of the openings 84 of smaller width.

A depression similar to the depressions 42 may' be employed in this modification also. v

In Figs. 10 and 11, the invention is illustrated as applied to use for radio tubes 94 provided with terminals 96 adapted to enter arcuate openings 98 of the same type as those indicated-at 84. The terminals 96 may engage wedge contacts |00,

of the same or similar character as those shown at 86,v carried upon a slidable plate 102, controlled by a spring m4 in a manner similar to the plate BB and its control by the spring 24. The modification of Fig.-10 contemplates the use of four arcuate openings 98. As shown in Fig. vl1, however, there may be two sets ofarcuate openings, one of which is shown at 9B and the other at |06, for use with two different-size tubes BZ, or there Y may be any number of additional sets of such4 electrical device.

openings 9B, for multiple connections such as may be employed in radio work.

A plug l08, like that shown at 2, Figs. 3 and 4, may be used tocooperate with a base lill on a flat iron lid, as illustrated in Fig. 12, or any other The base lill may bevprovided with an indexlli, for cooperation with either of two indices lll and H3, marked "Off and On,

vas illustrated at H2 and ill), respectively. The

` having projecting, headed terminals and a base having arcuate openings in which thc terminals are adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads of the terminals to permit entry of the heads in said portions, "and the openings having also portions of smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the headsto become locked behind the walls of said portions ofthe openings of smaller width, the terminals being adapted to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller Width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, one of the members having a spring for locking the members together with the heads looked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width,

and means whereby lthe spring forces the heads into locking engagement with the said walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width.

2. An electric connecter comprisingtwo relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminals and a base having arcuate openings in which the terminals are adaptedV to-be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads of the terminals to permit entry of the heads in said portions, and the opening having also portionsv of smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the heads to become locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, thel terminals being adapted to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, the base having wedges along the walls vof the openings along which the heads may ride up, the base being provided .with contact members near the larger ends of the wedges for cooperatively engaging said heads, one of the members having a spring for locking the members together with the heads locked behind the walls o f said portions of the openings of smaller width, and means whereby the heads may ride up along the walls of the said wedges in opposition to the action of the spring.

3. An electric connectercomprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminals and-'a base having arcuate openings in which the terminalsare adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads of the terminals to permit entry of the heads in said portions, and the openings having also portions of smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the heads, to become locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, the terminals being adapted to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, the base having wedge contact members for cooperatively engaging said heads, one of the members having a spring for locking the members together with the heads locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, and means whereby the heads may ride up along the wedge contact members in opposition to the action of the springt,

4. An electric connectercomprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminals and a base having arcuate openings in which the terminals are adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads of the terminals to permit entry of the heads in said portions, and the openings having also portions of smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the heads to become locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, the terminals being adapted 'to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, the plug having a spring for locking the members together with the heads locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, and means whereby the spring forces the heads into locking engagementI with the said walls' of said portions of the openings of smaller width.

5. An electric connecter comprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug from the portions of greater width to the por-Y tions of smaller width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, the base having a spring for locking the members together with the heads locked behind the walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width, and means whereby .the spring forces the heads into locking engagement with the said walls of said portions of the openings of smaller width.

6. An electric connecter comprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminals and a hase having arcuate openings in which the terminals are adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads oi the terminals to permit entry of tbe beads in said portions, and the openings having also portions oi' smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the heads to become locked behind the walls of said portions oi' the openings of smaller width, the terminals being adapted to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller width of the openings by relative pivotal movement of the members, the base having a plate provided with wedge contact members for cooperatively engaging lsaid heads, the plate being movable toward and from the plug, and` means for forcing the plate yieldingly toward the plug to lock the members together with the heads locked behind the walls o! said portions of the openings oi' smaller width.

7. In an electric connecter, a base having a plate provided with an opening therethrough, the plate having a wedge along the wall of the opening on one side o! the plate and a contact member adjacent to the opening near one edge of the wedge, and an insulating member for yieldingly engaging the said side oi' the plate to maintain the opening closed, the insulating member being adapted to be moved away from the plate yieldingly to permit access to the contac member.

8. An electric connecter comprising two relatively movable members, namely, a'plug having projecting terminals and a base having openings in which the terminals are adapted to be received. the base having an annular, guiding channel and the plug having an annular, projecting guide housing the terminals and adapted to be received in the channel and to be guided by contact with the inner wall of the channel during the relative movement of the members, the projecting guide being longer than the projecting terminals to permit it to engage said inner wall o! the channel prior to entry of the terminals into said openings during the relative movement of the members toward each other, means i'or locking the relatively movable members together with the guide in the channel and with the terminals in the openings, one of the relatively movable members having a spring, and means whereby the spring acts to force the relatively movable members yieldingly towardA each other.

9. An electric connecter comprising two relatively rotatable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminals and a base having arcuate openings in which the terminals are adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the heads of the terminals to permit entry of the heads in said portions, and the openings having also portions oi' smaller width than the heads of the terminals to permit the heads to become locked behind the walls of said portions oi the openings of smaller width, the terminals being adapted to be moved from the portions of greater width to the portions of smaller width of the openings by relative rotation of the members, and means for forcing the relatively rotatable members yieldingly toward each other.

10. An electric connecter comprising two relatively movable members, namely, a plug having projecting terminal contact members and a base having openings in which the terminal contact members are adapted to be received and contact members for cooperating with the terminal contact members, the contact members of one of the relatively movable members being adapted to be moved behind the cooperating contact members of the other relatively movable member in response to relative pivotal movement of the relatively movable members to cause the relatively movable members to become locked together with the cooperating contact members in contact with each other one of the relatively movable members having guiding wall and the other relatively movablemember having a projecting guide adapted to engage the guiding wall and to be guided by contact with the guiding wall during the relative movementoi the relatively movable members, the projecting guide being longer than vthe projecting terminal contact members to permit it to engage the guiding wall prior to the entry of the terminal contact members into said openings during the relative movement of the relatively movable members toward each other, one oi the relatively movablev members having a spring, and means whereby the spring acts to force the cooperating contact members yieldingly toward each other.

1l. An electric connecter comprising two relatively pivotally movable members having cooperating contact members, the contact members of one of the relatively movable members being adapted to be moved behind the cooperating ccntact members of the other relatively movable member in response to relative pivotal movement of the relatively movable members to cause the relatively movable members to become locked together with the cooperating contact members in contact with each other, and separate spring means for forcing the cooperating contact members yieldingly toward each other, one of the relatively pivotally movable members having depressions for loosely receiving the contact members of the other relatively pivotally movable member to cause the relatively pivotally movable members to be held loosely together Without accidental separation of the relatively pivotally movable members when the cooperating contact members are disengaged from each other.

l2. An electric connecter comprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a

plug and a base, each having a face disposed opposite to the face oi' the other member, the base f having wedgesdisposed more distantly from the plug than the said face of the base and having contact members disposed adjacent to the wedges, the plug having projecting headed terminal contact members the heads of which may ride up along the said wedges into contact with the ilrstnamed contact members in response to relative pivotal movement of the relatively movable members to cause the relatively movable members to become locked together -with the first-named contact members and the terminal contact members in contact with each other, one of the relatively movable members having a spring, and means whereby the spring forces the heads into locking engagement with the said walls of the openings.

13. An electric connecter comprising two relatively pivotally movable members, namely, a plug having projecting terminals and a base having arcuate openings in which the terminals are adapted to be received, the openings having portions through which the terminals are adapted t0 be entered into the openings, the base being provided with contact members near parts of the openings for cooperatively engaging the terminals, the base having depressions near parts of the openings other than the said portions and the contact members for loosely receiving the terminals to cause the relatively pivotally movable members to be held loosely together Without accidental separation of the relatively pivotally movable members when the contact members' are disengaged from the terminals, the terminals being adapted to be moved from the said portions, past the depressions, to the contact members by relative pivotal movement of the members, and means for locking the relatively plvQtally movable members together when the contact members are cooperatively engaged with the terminals and when the terminals are received in the depressions. 1

14. An electric lamp comprising a lamp tubehaving projecting, headed terminal contact members and a base having arcuate openings in which the terminal contact members arev adapted to be received, the openings having portions of greater width than the said heads to permit entry of the said heads in the said portions, and the openings having also portions of smaller width than the said heads to permit the heads to become locked between the walls of the said portions of the openings of smaller width, the base having wedges along the walls of the openings along which the heads may ride up and contact members disposedadiacent to the wedges, the base having a spring, and means whereby' the spring acts to force the contacting contact members yieldingly toward each other.

15. An electric connecter comprising two relatively rotatable members, namely, a plug having projecting, headed terminal contact members and a base having cooperating contact members, the heads of the terminal contact members being adapted to be moved behindithe cooperating contact members of the base in response to relative rotatable movement of the members to cause the heads to become locked behind the,cooperating contact members of the base, the engaging surfaces of the heads and the cooperating contact members extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the relative rotatable movement of the members and additional means for forcing the relatively rotatablev members yieldingly toward each other and maintaining the heads locked yieldingly behind the cooperating contact members of the base.

16s An electric connecter comprising two re1- atively pivotally movable members, one'oi' the members having a plurality o! singleV contact members, thepther member having a plurality o1. cooperating contact members, one only to cor- Y respond to each of the single contact members, whereby each single contact member and its corresponding cooperating contact member constitute a pair of contact members, the second-named contact members being adapted to be moved each behind its corresponding cooperating contact member in response to relative pivotal movement of the relatively movable members to cause theI relatively movable members to become locked together withthe corresponding contact members of each pair of contact members in contact l terminal contact members are adapted to be received and single contact members for respectively lcooperating with the single terminal contact` members, whereby each lamp-tube contact member and its corresponding cooperating base contact member constitute a pair of contact members, the lamp-tube contact members being adapted 'to be moved each behind its corresponding cooperating base contact member in response to pivotal movement .of the lampvtube to cause the lamp tube to become locked to the base with the corresponding lamp-tube contact members and base contactvmembers of each pair of contactmembers in contact with each other, the engaging surfaces of the pairs of ccntactmembers extending substantially at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of the lamp, the base having a spring, and means whereby the spring acts to force the corresponding contact members of each pair of contact members yieldingly t0- ward each other and to maintain the correspond` ing contact members of each pair of contact members yieldingly locked together.

` JAMES sacco. 

